Do you eat things past the use by date?

[arpoet]

When I got my first Job in a butchers shop way back in 1963, he gave me, on my first weekend, a half a shoulder of lamb that had been hanging in the un-refrigerated shop window for a couple of days.. It was dark and dry, but my mum cooked it and it was superb.
In those days she had tins on her pantry that were years old and as long as they were not 'blown' then they were safe to eat.
We didn't have a freezer, and only a tiny fridge and if the allotment produced a glut then the kilner jars were a God send. She also boiled enough jam to last until next summer. Often she would open a jar at this time of the year and scrape off the mould before spooning the good stuff into a table jam pot.
'Sell by' dates were unheard of back then and to waste any food was a crime in our house.
I worked in the food trade for the next 40 years and I seem to remember that it was creams and yogurts and other short life products. Quite often a 40lb farmhouse cheese truckle, wrapped in waxed cloth, would have a mould on the rind that needed scraping and salting before offering for sale.. But that cheese tasted far better than all those tiny vacuum packed blocks the sell now in the supermarkets.
Sell by dates as very modern and in most cases have no effect on tins and jars and I buy with my eyes.
My sisters grandson who works in a supermarket brought us several jars of top class honey that was out of date.. it was 50p a lb jar and was wonderful.
So yes, I do buy and use things out of date...
Roger

[zebedee]

Generally speaking, I totally agree with the principole - if it smells ok, eat it. No, food does not magically go off on the use by date. However, lemon curd is often made with eggs, which can be funny things, especially for pregnant women - in THAT instance, I would rather play safe.

[chris]

I suppose too... to save people sueing them, they'll stick dates on.

[Mikey]

I like the one I read the other day on some cheese, slow matured for 12 months, eat within three days. Come on!!!!

I have a cast iron constitution, by that I mean, I can't tell the difference between stomach cramps and indigestion.

[domart]

Shop bought lemon curd! sacrilege (sp) if want a recipe just say it is really the easiest thing in the world, and you won;t have any left after 8 days let alone 8 weeks.

OHHH could you pm the recipe

[Mikey]

No pm's just post it.....please.

[Alison]

Totally ignore best before dates and the really stupid ones like on vinegar etc - for God's sake, it is a preservative....... Fridge stuff I use common sense, if a yoghurt is fizzing then it's off regardless of the date on the top etc. Likewise you can tell with meat by the colour. Happily cut mould off cheese and toast stale bread and as a result waste very little food. Oh yes and will happily eat frozen food years later if it's OK and idenfiable.